While on the subject of Valentines....

I remember as a little girl going through my Mom's scrapbooks and 
always finding this Valentine card from 1944...






It would intrigued me because I would open it up 
and there was no signature. 

But she assured me she knew who it was from. 
His name was Bert. They were both 14.

Finally I found this paper she had apparently written 
for her bookclub in 1991.

(Not quite sure what she meant in her last paragraph.)

But the part I loved the most was finding out that it was her 14 year old boyfriend Bert who taught her to make 
Johnny's Casserole! 

We grew up with that casserole! 
And I use to make it for my boys. 


We should have been calling it Bert's Casserole.

Mom on the right with her best friend Betty.
1947

I sort of now wonder if Mom may have been thinking 
about her 14 year old self 
whenever she would make Johnny's Casserole. 

Well maybe for a few seconds. 
She had 10 people to feed every night.

Wow, now that I think about it, what an accomplishment!

I think having dinner together as a family every evening 
is highly under rated. 




16 comments:

Richard said...

I had never heard of any of this before...grateful my last name is not Flour.

Grandma Honey said...

And this is what Uncle Don remembers about it:

"Bert Flohr is news to me, but there was a cute girl in the neighborhood
named Rosalie Flohr, so they must have been siblings. I admired Rosalie from
afar; never had the courage to approach her. Gaynor’s “fling” with Bert must
have happened while I was absent in the Army."

Grandma Honey said...

And Richard, that's Flohr, not Flour.

Anonymous said...

What is johnny’s Casserole?
Peggy in Iowa

Grandma Honey said...

haha... Johnny's Casserole is just a layer of Dennison's chili beans (or that was the brand my Mom used), grated cheese, and Fritos, and then repeat one more layer of all that. Then bake in a 350' oven until hot and bubbly. I guess Bert put hamburger in his too, but my Mom never did. My boys loved this growing up. Me, not so much :( Or wait, maybe the Fritos just went on top. Yeah I think so. :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your recipe. I usually seem to ask about your recipes--please don't think that I'm not interested in your posts too. I'm always so struck by all the stories and memories that your Mom wrote about. What a blessing! When I was pregnant with my first son we bought my folks books for them to write their childhood memories so that they could pass them along to my son. Neither of my parents wrote very many things and I've realized that for them their childhoods weren't happy. My grandfather left my grandmother with four children ages 14-5 and moved from Iowa to California in the mid 1930's. My dad never saw his dad again and heard from him rarely. When my dad died last year it really started to hit me that despite his lack of a father, my dad was the best dad. It's not doubt that God placed many, many good people in his path. I'm sorry to be rambling, please know I truly enjoy your posts!
Peggy in Iowa

Grandma Honey said...

I love all your comments Peggy.
That is such an interesting, generous, and probably true way to view your Dad's childhood....that although his Dad left the family you feel God must have placed many good people in his path. That makes sense since He is always always working in our lives.

Can you imagine what that would do to a little boy, to have his Dad just get up one day and leave them? That would be far worse then having his Dad die.

Your Dad, no doubt, changed generations but giving his children what he longed for as a little boy.

Richard said...

Hey, where's my last comment? Have I been censored again?

Grandma Honey said...

I put on all your comments, even your insulting ones. It must not have arrived. Can you send it again?

Richarf said...

I had simply expressed my affection for Johnny's casserole, but we knew coming soon thereafter were stuffed bell peppers, liver, and tamale pie nights...none of them were nearly as popular.

Richard said...

Me? Insulting? You must have me confused with one of your other siblings!

Richard said...

Me? Insulting? You must have me confused with one of your other siblings!

Grandma Honey said...

I hear you about the stuffed peppers and tamale pie. I still can't eat either of those. And who knew the "healthy" liver we use to eat is now considered toxic. But Mom was always there for us, and most of her food was good. I can still picture her at the electric frying pan every night at 5pm. Dinner at the table 5:30. What a gift she was to us.

krheasley said...

I think that's so interesting about Johnny's Casserole! Who knew! Now I'll be thinking of Bert whenever I make Johnny's Casserole for my kidos. So, I guess Bert's legacy lives on...

Richard said...

Yes, we had a great mom...and she didn't raise any picky eaters!

Anonymous said...

So refreshing to have Richard commenting again! I have missed his 'muses'! pjc

Look what happened last night

  Just a little pre-graduating gathering for our DIL Amy.... Not everyday a Mom of 7 and a Grandma of 7, graduates from college. It was not ...